Boehringer Ingelheim Raises Ranking by Two Positions in Access-To-Medicine Index for 2021

For the second time, Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, has raised its ranking in the bi-annual global Access-to-Medicine Index by two positions. In the 2021 index published on January 26, the biopharmaceutical company ranked 12 amongst 20 of the largest pharmaceutical companies, for its ongoing effort to overcoming barriers to access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups and communities in lower-to-middle-income countries.

The Access-To-Medicine ranking report acknowledges Boehringer Ingelheim’s solid foundation in Research & Development (R&D), which addresses the health needs of those residing in lower-to-middle income countries that are supported by high access plan coverage. For several years, Boehringer Ingelheim has made dedicated investments in R&D areas that are aligned with the focus of the index; this includes the Research Beyond Borders program, in which the company continues its search for new therapies for diseases such as tuberculosis, HBV and Dengue fever as well as treating antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Antonio Ruffolo, Head of Access To Healthcare and Global Health Policy at Boehringer Ingelheim commented on the occasion, “We see our new ranking as a strong encouragement to continue to work hard on making novel products available to lower-to-middle income countries and at affordable prices. Looking ahead, continued and substantial R&D investments in the relevant therapeutic areas, combined with a solid stream of candidates progressing towards Phase III, are expected to contribute to the progress of the late-stage portfolio over the coming years.” “Yet, our important early-stage work is not yet reflected in the Access-To-Medicine score, since the index only considers late-stage research,” he continued. 

Boehringer Ingelheim has particularly invested in partnerships and initiatives designed to strengthen healthcare systems in the least-developed countries. This includes Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2017 In-Reach Africa Initiatives that were launched in “Kuza Afya” and “Tiba Yako” in Kenya. The efforts of both projects have improved community awareness and access to therapies for emerging cardiovascular and metabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes, especially in grassroots low-income areas across the western regions of the country. Following the launch of In Reach Africa, subsequent initiatives launched in Kenya included a partnership with PharmAccess – a group of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare in Africa –  to use mobile technology to raise awareness and unlock access barriers in hypertension and diabetes care in the city.

In 2020, multilateral programs were also launched such as the Defeat-NCD Partnership,a global alliance launched to tackle the premature death, sickness, disability, and associated social and economic impacts of non-communicable diseases in least-developed countries. Outside of efforts in Africa, another initiative launched by Boehringer Ingelheim in Pakistan in collaboration with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) included country-wide donations of the Rabisin^® vaccine and identification collars for dogs in efforts to eliminate rabies in the country. 
Mohammed Al-Tawil, Country Managing Director and Head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim Middle East, Turkey and Africa stated, “We at Boehringer Ingelheim are very proud of our ranking in the 2021 Access-To-Medicine Index this year. Innovation and expertise are at the heart of our activities, and this achievement is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment towards improving human health across our global communities. We will continue to strive towards accelerating the availability of healthcare products and services through innovative multilateral programs and country-specific collaborations for the benefit of our top priority; the safety and wellbeing of our patients.”

Unveiled in January 2019 and rolled out in the Bungoma County, Western Kenya, “Kuza Afya” is a care program for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension designed to work with communities and healthcare workers through comprehensive educational activity, screening services and enhanced care. Implemented in partnership with the AMPATH Consortium, Moi University and Moi Teaching, and Referral Hospital, the program has screened over 70,000 community members for hypertension and 40,000 for diabetes, while over 5,000 new patients in the region gained routine access to vital diabetes and hypertension care. Furthermore, over 500 community health workers and 57 clinical officers and nurses were trained in the identification, prevention and management of the two conditions. An innovative supply chain mechanism using a portable pharmacy was also created to ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines for those in need. 

The “Tiba Yako” program also focused on diabetes and hypertension care, mainly targeting low-income areas and other informal settlements in Nairobi. Launched in partnership with Pharm Access, the initiative provided patients with access to a mobile health wallet, which gave them the opportunity to save for healthcare expenses and acquire discounted prices for treatment of their chronic disease. Patients were screened and directly supported through awareness programs, in addition to being offered access to diabetes and hypertension care. Furthermore, patients were provided with a device to measure their blood pressure and/or glucose levels at home, supported by further training from the initiative’s agents, to enter these figures in a self-management app. Over 1,435 patients enrolled in this digital service program, registering patient adherence of 48%, which was significantly higher than the projected 27%.

Also unveiled since the last index publication, is Boehringer Ingelheim’s Making More Health (MMH) initiative to sustainably improve access to healthcare in sub Saharan Africa under the broader ‘In Reach Africa’ initiative. Affiliated and sustained by Boehringer Ingelheim, MMH is a global social change organization that leverages social innovation and entrepreneurship to catalyze change and promote well-being globally. It is also implemented in partnership with Positive Exposure (PE) Kenya, a non-governmental organization whose objective is to transform public perceptions on albinism and other rare diseases in the city. Through MMH and PE-Kenya, dozens of affected families were supported through various activities including training on albinism to nurses, doctors and midwives in the city, launch of the ‘Albinism’ app to provide educational materials to communities and schools, and building a family house and a school in Webuye, where individuals with albinism were able to directly contribute to construction, lending  to enhanced employment opportunities. In the coming months, MMH will be offering increased digital literacy opportunities, wider training sessions and disinfecting tools allowing communities access to clean water.

In the field of research collaborations, the Access-To-Medicine report also highlights Boehringer Ingelheim’s open innovation compound library “opnMe”, which provides scientists from around the world with free access to new molecules and their documentation for research purposes..  
The Access-To-Medicine Index is a ranking system published biennially by the Access to Medicine Foundation in Amsterdam. It grades the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies according to their ability to make their pharmaceutical products more available, accordable, accessible and acceptable in 106 lower-to-middle income countries across the globe. The system is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Department for International Development and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Boehringer Ingelheim has been listed in the Access-To-Medicine Index since 2010, steadily advancing its efforts and commitment to improving human health across the globe. 

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About Boehringer Ingelheim
Making new and better medicines for humans and animals is at the heart of what we do. Our mission is to create breakthrough therapies that change lives. Since its founding in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is independent and family-owned. We have the freedom to pursue our long-term vision, looking ahead to identify the health challenges of the future and targeting those areas of need where we can do the most good.
As a world-leading, research-driven pharmaceutical company, more than 51,000 employees create value through innovation daily for our three business areas: Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. In 2019, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of 19 billion euros. Our significant investment of almost 3.5 billion euros in R&D drives innovation, enabling the next generation of medicines that save lives and improve quality of life. 
We realize more scientific opportunities by embracing the power of partnership and diversity of experts across the life-science community. By working together, we accelerate the delivery of the next medical breakthrough that will transform the lives of patients now, and in generations to come.
More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com 

For more information, please contact:

Sara Shamel
Head of External Communications – META
Boehringer Ingelheim
T: +971 553258101
sara.shamel@boehringer-ingelheim.com